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CHARLES  B:  ALEXANDER. 


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tihvavy  of  t:be  t:heolo0ical  ^tminavy 

PRINCETON  •  NEW  JERSEY 


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PRESENTED  BY 

!!rs.    Winthro-o  W.    Aldrich 


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^.^i,v'i,jav  :m? 


THOUGHTS 

ON    THE    EDUCATION    OF 

PIOUS  AND  INDIGENT  CANDIDATES 
FOE  THE  MINISTRY. 


/ 


^■\''.v' 


There  is  in  the  minds  of  many  a  strong  prejudice  against 
the  whole  plan  of  educating  young  men  for  the  ministry,  on 
the  funds  of  the  Church.  Of  this  prejudice,  the  writer  con- 
fesses that  he  once  was  a  partaker,  owing  to  his  education 
among  the  descendants  of  the  Scotch,  wiio  generally  entertain 
a  strong  aversion  to  every  idea  of  depending  on  others  for 
their  subsistence.  There  can  be  no  doubt  that  this  feeling 
of  independence  has  been  of  great  service  to  the  Scottish 
nation,  in  leading  the  poor  every  where  to  struggle  hard  to 
maintain  themselves.  This  is,  therefore,  a  feehng  which 
should  be  respected  and  cherished ;  and  all  persons  should 
have  it  instilled  into  their  minds  in  their  early  education.  I 
have  known  many  young  men,  who  were  so  much  under  the 
influence  of  this  sentiment  that  they  have  rejected  all  offers 
of  gratuitous  aid,  and  have  laboured,  for  years,  to  acquire  the 
jneans  of  finishing  their  education.  And  although  I  cannot 
but  respect  the  character  of  such,  I  am  now  of  opinion  that 
an  enlightened  and  enlarged  view  of  all  the  circumstances 
which  should  regulate  the  conduct  of  candidates  for  the  min- 
istry would  lead  to  a  different  conclusion.* 

The  true  state  of  the  case  is  this.  The  Church  wants  min- 
isters, and  must  languish  and  decline,  if  she  does  not  obtain 
a  sufficient  supply.  Every  pious  young  man  who  has  talents 
to  be  useful  in  the  ministry,  has  the  ability  to  make  for  him- 
self a  comfortable  living,  in  some  secular  business ;  and  in  a 
worldly  point  of  view,  every  young  man  of  vigorous  mind 
and  enterprising  disposition  makes  a  sacrifice  of  his  temporal 
interest  by  becoming,  in  this  country,  a  candidate  for  the 
ministry.  If  then,  a  sufficient  number  of  candidates,  from  the 
class  able  to  support  themselves,  do  not  offer,  is  it  not  the 
duty  of  the  Church  to  assist  in  the  education  of  indigent  and 
pious  youth,  possessed  of  good  natural  abilities  ?  The  ques- 
tion to  be  decided  is  extremely  plain,  and  simple — Shall  the 

*  The  Free  Church  of  Scotland  has  adopted  the  system  of  aiding  her 
indigent  candidates  for  the  ministry. 


CANDIDATES    FOR 


Church  do  without  a  sufficient  supply  of  ministers,  or  endeav- 
our to  obtain  such  a  supply,  by  educating  pious  young  men, 
who  are  unable  to  gain  an  education  by  their  own  means? 
Suppose  the  Church  to  proceed  on  the  principle  involved  in 
the  objection  to  this  mode  of  procuring  a  supply  of  ministers, 
what  will  be  the  consequence  1  The  appeal  must  here  be 
made  to  facts.  What  has  been  for  twenty  years  past,  the 
proportion  of  candidates  who  have  had  it  in  their  power  to 
support  themselves  ?  Upon  looking  over  the  catalogue  of  our 
students,  from  the  commencement  of  this  Seminary,  J  find 
that,  at  least,  one  half  the  whole  number  have  required  to  be 
aided  by  the  funds  of  the  Church,  or  by  benevolent  individ- 
uals. Some  of  these,  by  spending  years  in  teaching,  might 
have  found  their  way  into  the  ministry ;  but  the  greater  num- 
ber would  have  been  discouraged,  and  would  have  turned 
their  attention  to  some  other  pursuit ;  or,  they  would  have 
sought  an  entrance  into  the  sacred  office,  without  any  suit- 
able and  thorough  preparation.  Certainly,  we  have  not  had 
a  superabundance  of  good  ministers ;  and  surely,  no  one 
would  wish  to  see  our  Church  filled  with  men  imperfectly 
prepared.  With  all  our  exertions  by  means  of  the  Board  of 
Education,  ihe  number  of  our  ministers  falls  far  short  of  the 
demand. 

Perhaps,  there  is  a  lurking  idea,  in  the  minds  of  many,  that 
some  disgrace  attaches  to  this  plan  of  education.  As  it  would 
be  a  disgrace  to  an  able  bodied  man,  to  live  upon  the  chari- 
ties of  his  neighbours,  so  it  is  thought,  that  something  of  the 
same  disgrace  must  attach  to  the  young  man,  who  is  able  to 
provide  for  himself  by  honest  industry  in  some  lawful  occu- 
pation, to  live  on  the  funds  of  the  Church.  Now  this  would 
be  a  fair  statement  of  the  case,  if  nothing  else  was  to  be  taken 
into  consideration  but  the  interest  of  the  person  himself  But 
if  the  Church  needs  his  services,  and  if  in  order  effectually  to 
serve  her,  he  must  be  educated,  the  case  is  entirely  changed. 
While  she  is  educating  these  youth,  she  is  preparing  ministers 
for  her  own  use,  and  whose  services  are  necessary  to  her 
prosperity.  If  the  state  needs  skilful  officers  and  expert  engi- 
neers for  her  defence,  she  finds  it  expedient  to  institute  mili- 
tary schools  for  the  education  of  such  as  are  willing  to  turn 
their  attention  to  the  military  profession :  and  no  question  is 
asked  about  their  wealth  or  indigence,  because  the  good  of 
the  country  is  the  object  in  having  them  thus  educated. 
This  is  right ;  and  no  one  ever  thinks  that  any  disgrace 
attaches  to  those  young  men,  who  are  thus  educated,  at  the 
public  expense.     And  if  the  Church  were  able,  it  would  be 


THE    MINISTRY. 


but  justice  for  her  to  educate  all,  of  whatever  external  cir- 
cumstances, who  were  qualified  to  do  her  service.  But  this 
is  not  demanded ;  all  that  she  is  requested  to  do  is,  to  support, 
or  aid  such  young  men  as  are  unable  to  furnish  the  means  of 
their  own  education. 

What  has  now  been  said  will  answer  an  objection  often 
made  by  plain,  well-meaning  people,  when  applied  to,  to  con- 
tribute to  this  object.  They  say,  "  our  sons  have  to  labour 
for  their  living,  and  what  obligation  is  on  us  to  give  money 
to  educate  other  men's  sons."  To  such,  we  would  respect- 
fully say,  "  Have  you  a  minister  who  preaches  the  gospel  to 
you  on  the  Sabbath,  and  do  you  value  this  privilege  i  Or,  if 
you  are  destitute  of  the  stated  dispensation  of  the  word,  do 
you  not  desire  it,  as  the  richest  privilege  you  can  possess  in 
this  world  ?  Well,  if  you  need  ministers,  where  do  you  think 
they  are  to  come  from  ?  If  all  are  of  your  mind,  and  refuse 
to  aid  in  preparing  young  men  for  the  ministry,  the  conse- 
quence will  be,  that  there  must  be  a  great  deficiency  of  edu- 
cated ministers;  and  when  you  wish  to  obtain  one,  it  may 
not  be  in  your  power ;  and  your  children  may  be  brought  up 
without  the  regular  administration  of  the  v/ord  and  ordi- 
nances of  God,\vhich  you  must  esteem  a  great  calamity,  if 
you  have  any  just  estimation  of  the  worth  of  their  souls.  But 
if  you  are  so  situated  as  to  be  sure  of  enjoying  the  means  of 
grace,  do  you  feel  as  a  Christian,  no  compassion  for  the 
extensive  regions  in  our  own  country,  which  are  destitute  of 
the  regular  preaching  of  the  gospel  ?  Do  you  never  consider 
the  case  of  the  millions,  and  hundreds  of  millions,  of  benighted 
heathen,  who  are  now  on  their  way  to  the  great  tribunal? 
If  in  the  sovereign  dispensations  of  divine  mercy,  we  have 
received  and  enjoyed  the  preaching  of  the  word,  shall  we  be 
so  selfish,  as  not  to  be  willing  to  send  it  to  those  who  are 
perishing  for  lack  of  knowledge;  who  are  suffering  a  dread- 
ful famine,  not  for  the  want  of  bread,  but  for  the  want  of  the 
word  of  the  Lord  ? 

Perhaps,  you  say,  that  you  are  the  friend  of  missions,  and 
willing  to  contribute  to  this  object,  but  not  to  the  Board  ot 
Education.  But  permit  me  to  ask  how  the  missionary  enter- 
prise can  proceed  without  devoted  ministers?  The  cry  every 
year  of  the  Missionary  Boards  is,  "  Who  will  go  for  us  V 
But  how  can  they  go 'unless  they  be  sent?  And  how  can 
they  be  sent,  unless  thev  are  prepared  and  educated  for  the 
work'?  The  truth  is,  that  without  the  Education  Board,  your 
other  Boards  would  be,  in  a  great  measure,  useless.  Look 
over  the  wide  missionary  field  at  home  and  abroad,  and  as^x 


CANDIDATES    FOR 


yourselves  where  these  men  who  are  bearing  the  heat  and 
burden  of  the  day,  were  obtained  ?  The  answer  will  be,  from 
our  Colleges  and  Seminaries,  and  a  large  portion  of  them 
were  beneficiaries  of  Education  Boards.  They  exercised  the 
pious  self-denial,  to  become  beneficiaries  of  the  Church,  that 
they  might  have  the  opportunity  of  preparing  themselves  for 
the  arduous  work  in  which  they  are  now  wearing  out  their 
lives.  I  have  called  them  benejlciaries,  but  I  doubt  the  pro- 
priety of  the  term ;  they  are  not  the  obliged  persons ;  but  the 
Church  is  their  debtor.  And  their  sacrifice  is  far  greater 
than  that  of  the  most  liberal  contributor  to  their  support.  A.nd 
let  our  farmers  and  mechanics,  when  called  on  to  contribute 
to  this  object,  not  consider  it  as  a  gratuity  to  the  individuals 
aided,  but  as  a  necessary  means  of  keeping  up  a  supply  of 
faithful  pastors  for  om  increasing  Churches,  and  as  the  only 
effectual  method  of  obtaining  missionaries  to  carry  the  gospel 
to  the  destitute,  both  on  our  continent  and  in  foreign  lands.  Let 
it  be  considered,  also,  that  if  God  should  favour  their  sons  by 
calling  them  to  prepare  for  the  work  of  the  ministry,  other 
people  will  be  solicited  to  assist  them  in  obtaining  the  requisite 
education. 

And  here  it  may  be  proper  to  remasi-k,  that  many  pious 
parents  ought  to  seek  this  honour  for  their  sons ;  and  every 
congregation  should  have  pious  young  men  in  a  course  of 
education  for  the  ministry.  The  neglect  of  some  large  con- 
gregations, in  this  respect,  is  great  and  surprising.  They 
may  have  experienced  frequent  revivals  of  religion,  and  yet 
have  never  sent  forth  a  single  minister  from  their  bounds; 
whilst  other  Churches  have,  within  the  last  half  century,  sent 
out  dozens.  In  reading  the  "  Life  of  the  late  Dr.  Proudfit," 
nothing  struck  me  more  forcibly,  than  the  fact  that  from  the 
single  church  of  which  he  was  pastor,  thirty  or  forty  young 
men  had  entered  the  ministry;  probably  a  larger  number 
than  from  any  single  congregation  on  the  continent;  or  per- 
haps in  the  world.  Every  parent,  or  pastor,  who  furnishes  a 
good  minister  to  the  Church,  becomes  thereby  a  rich  bene- 
factor to  the  whole  body.  And  if  they  have  not  the  ability  to 
give  a  good  education  to  the  promising  youth  who  may  rise 
up  among  them,  the  Church  is  bound  to  aid  them ;  and  in  or- 
der to  this,  application  must  be  made  to  all  our  congrega- 
tions for  their  contributions. 

Another  objection  to  this  mode  of  obtaining  candidates  for 
the  ministry  is,  that  poor  young  men  taken  up  to  be  educated, 
are  commonly  rude  and  unpolished  in  their  manners,  having 
grown  up  among  rough,  unmannered  people.     And  it  is  re- 


THE    MINISTRY. 


marked,  that  such  seldom  acquire  the  refinement  and  polish 
of  manners,  which  are  expected  and  should  be  found  in  min- 
isters of  the  gospel.  If  this  objection  had  weiglit,  it  would 
operate  powerfully  against  the  selection  of  the  apostles,  by 
our  blessed  Lord;  for  they  were  all  taken  from  the  humbler 
walks  of  life  ;  and  although  their  Master  miraculously  supplied 
their  want  of  learning,  by  endowing  iliem  with  supernatural 
knowledge  and  the  gift  of  tongues,  yet  we  do  not  read  that 
he  wrought  any  miracle  to  give  them  the  manners  of  polished 
gentlemen.  Perhaps,  the  objector  lays  too  much  stress  on 
the  mere  polish  of  manners.  In  our  opinion,  true  iiumility, 
meekness,  and  benevolence  will  produce  the  most  genuine 
politeness,  and  if  these  dispositions  are  possessed  in  a  higfi 
degree  by  the  minister  of  the  cross,  the  want  of  exterior  ac- 
complishments, though  desirable,  may  easily  be  dispensed  with. 

It  is  not  intended  to  be  intimated,  that  clerical  manners  are 
of  trivial  consequence;  they  are  undoubtedly  important,  and 
when  of  the  right  kind,  tend  to  promote  the  usefulness  oi'  min- 
isters of  the  gospel.  The  idea  which  I  intend  to  communicate 
is,  that  those  manners  which  are  in  voc^ue  amonc;  the  hicrher 
classes  of  society  are  not  exactly  those  which  always  become 
a  preacher  of  the  gospel.  A  young  man  who  possesses  ge- 
nuine piety  and  good  sense,  will  be  likely,  in  the  course  of 
seven  years'  training,  to  acquire  as  much  ease  and  polish 
of  manners  as  are  necessary,  in  a  majority  of  clergymen  ;  for, 
while  a  few  have  to  mingle  with  the  wealthy  and  fashionable 
classes  of  society,  the  greater  number  must  labour  among 
poor  and  plain  people,  with  whom  sincerity  and  friendliness 
are  the  qualities  in  a  minister's  conduct  which  serve  best  to 
recommend  him  to  their  esteem  and  confidence.  And  I  ven- 
ture to  assert,  that  of  the  hundreds  of  students  who  have 
passed  under  my  observation,  those  from  rich  families  have 
possessed  no  superiority  of  manners  over  their  poorer  brethren. 

And  this  leads  me  to  notice  another  objection  of  a  still  more 
serious  nature.  It  is,  that  a  dependence  of  this  kind  for  the 
means  of  education  must  have  a  debasing  effect  on  the  minds 
of  youth,  and  detract  from  that  manly  independence  which  is 
an  estimable  trait  in  the  character  of  any  man,  and  especially 
of  a  minister.  Now,  in  my  judgment,  this  objection  is  utterly 
without  confirmation  from  the  lacts  which  have  fallen  under 
my  observation.  The  circumstance  of  indigence  may,  indeed, 
have  the  efliict  of  keeping  down  that  spirit  of  pride  and  arro- 
gance, which  is  so  apt  to  arise  in  the  minds  of  youth  born 
to  affluence ;  but  this  is  a  real  benefit.  But  as  to  any  spirit 
oi.  m.eanness  generated  by  this  mode  of  education,  it  has  no 

1* 


6  CANDIDATES    FOR, 

existence,  except  in  the  imagination  of  those  who  make  the 
objection.  If  the  candidate  is  actuated  by  the  elevated  aims 
and  pious  motives  which  should  govern  all  who  aspire  to  this 
office,  he  will  not  be  liable  to  any  influence  of  the  kind  sup- 
posed. Indeed,  commonly,  the  funds  of  the  Church  are  so 
dispensed,  that  the  beneficiary  seldom  knows  the  individual  to 
w^hom  he  owes  his  support:  he  receives  the  aid  needed  as 
coming  from  the  Church,  through  the  agency  of  the  Board  of 
Education. 

From  the  origin  of  this  seminary  as  was  before  stated,  at  least 
one  half  the  students  have  been  more  or  less  dependent  on 
charitable  funds  for  their  support ;  and  yet  it  has  never  been 
observed  by  the  professors  that  these  were,  as  a  body,  inferior 
to  the  others  in  any  respect  whatever.  Certainly  their  being 
beneficiaries  has  not  lowered  them  in  the  opinion  of  their 
fellow  students,  as  far  as  the  fact  was  known  ;  for  in  a  majo- 
rity of  cases,  the  wants  of  the  needy  are  supplied  without 
giving  such  publicity  to  the  transaction  that  it  becomes  known 
even  to  their  fellow  students. 

If  we  should  now  take  a  survey  of  all  the  pastors  and  evan- 
gelists in  connexion  w'ith  the  Presbyterian  Church,  whether 
labouring  at  home  or  in  the  foreign  field,  there  would  be  found 
no  marked  inferiority  in  those  educated  on  the  funds  of  the 
Church  in  manners,  piety,  talents,  or  usefulness.  If  all  wdio 
were  thus  educated  should  at  once  be  withdrawn  from  the 
field  of  labour,  it  would  leave  such  a  chasm,  or  rather 
such  a  desolation  as  would  fill  every  pious  mind  with  grief 
and  discouragement.  If  then,  this  plan  of  providing  a 
supply  of  ministers  for  the  Church  has  been  found  necessary 
in  times  past,  why  should  it  not  be  equally,  yea  more  neces- 
sary hereafter,  as  the  field  is  every  day  widening  both  at  home 
and  abroad,  and  the  demand  for  labourers  more  urgent, 
every  succeeding  year  ? 

Contributing  to  aid  pious  students  in  their  preparation  for 
the  gospel  ministry,  has  ever  been  considered  a  laudable 
species  of  benevolence;  and  the  establishment  of  scholarships 
and  bursaries  in  Colleges  and  Universities,  has  been  with  a 
direct  view  to  this  object.  From  the  biography  of  the  re- 
formers, and  other  eminent  men  since  their  time,  it  appears 
that  they  felt  a  deep  interest  in  the  subject,  and  often  used 
their  influence  to  obtain  aid  to  enable  candidates  for  the 
ministry,  to  pursue  their  theological  studies  to  their  comple- 
tion, without  interruption. 

There  is  scarcely  any  plan  to  which  objections  may  not  be 
made :  but  if  this  plan  be  essential  to  the  prosperity  of  the 


THE     MINISTRY. 


Church — I  had  almost  said,  to  its  existence,  why  make  objec- 
tions? They  may  injure  a  good  cause,  but  cannot  possibly  do 
any  good.  In  these  cases,  it  has  been  truly  remarked,  that 
those  who  contributed  most  largely  to  educational  funds  were 
not  the  persons  who  usually  find  fault,  but  such  as  desired  an 
excuse  for  not  giving.  Now,  as  charity  ought  to  be  free  and 
unconstrained,  let  such  keep  their  money,  but  let  them  not  in- 
fluence others,  by  their  objections,  to  hold  back  their  contri- 
butions. If  there  be  any  thing  wrong  in  the  management  of 
this  business,  let  it  be  pointed  out,  that  it  may  be  corrected. 
If  any  improvement  in  collecting  and  disbursing  these  cha- 
ritable funds  can  be  devised,  let  it  be  suggested,  that  it  may 
be  adopted  and  carried  into  eflect.  But  we  earnestly  beseech 
all  the  friends  of  our  Church,  not  to  raise  nor  listen  to  a 
clamour  against  this  necessary  scheme  of  benevolence,  at  a 
time  when  the  demand  for  labourers  is  greater  than  it  ever 
has  been.  To  hinder  or  discourage  the  education  of  poor  and 
pious  youth  of  good  talents,  for  the  holy  ministry,  is  actually 
to  oppose  the  vital  interests  of  Christ's  Church  ;  and  when  this 
is  done  by  Presbyterian  ministers,  it  is  a  species  of  ecclesias- 
tical suicide.  It  is  virtually  to  cut  the  nerves  by  which  our 
efforts  in  advancing  the  kingdom  of  the  Redeemer  must  be 
made. 

Here  we  might  leave  the  subject,  but  it  is  our  wish  to  meet 
every  objection  which  has  been  made,  or  can  be  made  to  the 
principles  and  plan  of  our  Board  of  Education  ;  for  we  are 
both  sorry  and  surprised  to  learn,  that  in  some  quarters,  and 
with  some  persons,  this  Board  has  become  unpopular.  It  is 
alleged,  that  there  cannot  be  a  very  urgent  need  of  our  multi- 
plying ministers,  while  there  are  so  many  unemployed,  hang- 
ing about  our  large  cities  ;  and  whenever  a  Church  becomes 
vacant,  immediately  a  swarm  of  candidates  are  found  seeking 
a  place  and  a  living.  For  such  ministers  we  have  no  apo- 
logy to  offer,  except  that  many  will  get  into  the  ministry, 
who  have  not  popular  talents,  and  therefore  do  not  readily 
find  a  field  where  they  can  do  good  and  support  their  fami- 
lies. Such  are  sometimes  truly  pious  men,  and  if  they  had  a 
charge  would  be  faithful  and  edifying  pastors.  And  they  are 
not  to  be  blamed  for  seeking  a  place  in  which  they  may  be 
useful,  and  at  the  same  time  gain  a  living  for  their  dependent 
families.  Again,  settled  pastors  are  often  through  the  caprice 
of  their  people,  obliged  to  resign  their  charge  and  being  cast 
out,  without  means  of  subsistence,  it  is  natural  and  reasonable 
for  them  to  seek  another  situation.  Often  they  are  not  cen- 
surable for  being  without  charges,  but  the  people   to  whom 


8  CANDIDATES    FOR 

they  ministered,  and  who  had  engaged  to  afford  them  a  sup- 
port. Cases  are  known,  in  which  a  single  person  has  had  in- 
fluence to  occasion  a  severance  of  the  sacred  bond,  which 
subsists  between  a  pastor  and  his  flock.  But  after  all,  this 
thing  is  greatly  exaggerated.  Look  into  our  cities  and  large 
towns,  and  how  many  unemployed  Presbyterian  ministers  do 
you  find  ?  Some,  indeed,  are  engaged  in  teaching ;  and  in 
whose  hands  can  youth  be  more  safely  and  advantageously 
placed  than  in  those  of  ministers  ?  It  is  devoutly  to  be 
wished  that  pious  ministers  were  so  abundant,  that  every 
school  in  the  land  might  have  one  at  its  head.  But  what  con- 
nexion has  this  with  educating  poor  and  pious  youth  ?  These 
when  received  into  the  ministry,  are  not  usually  the  persons 
who  spend  their  time  in  idleness.  Let  facts  be  ascertained, 
and  you  will  find  that  poor  ministers  are  the  most  laborious 
and  the  most  ready  to  go  on  foreign  missions.  Christ  him- 
self was,  as  to  worldly  goods,  the  jjoorest  of  the  poor  ;  and 
by  choosing  that  condition,  he  has  sanctified  a  state  of  po- 
verty, and  rendered  it  honourable  in  ministers  of  the  gospel 
to  be  poor.  He,  therefore,  commonly  calls  his  most  faithful 
servants  from  this  class;  but  as  he  himself  subsisted  on  the 
charities  of  his  devoted  friends,  he  would  have  his  Church  to 
be  liberal  in  the  support  of  poor  ministers,  and  in  aiding 
pious  students  to  prepare  for  their  sacred  work. 

Another  objection  is,  that  many  of  those  youth  selected  to 
be  educated  for  the  ministry,  do  not  possess  sufficient  strength 
of  mind  to  avail  themselves  of  the  advantages  to  be  derived 
from  a  liberal  course  of  learning ;  so  that,  when  they  have 
passed  through  all  the  schools,  they  are  found  poorly  qualified 
to  be  useful  ministers  of  the  gospel.  It  must  be  confessed, 
that  there  has  not  always  been  sufficient  caution  in  receiving 
young  men  on  the  funds  of  the  Church.  There  has  not  been, 
in  many  cases,  a  sufficiently  rigid  scrutiny  into  the  natural 
capacity  of  the  candidate.  Some  pious  persons  are  so  desti- 
tute of  the  powers  of  mind  requisite  to  profit  by  a  liberal  edu- 
cation, that  after  passing  through  all  the  usual  stages  of  a 
literary  course,  they  are  almost  as  little  qualified  for  the  work 
of  the  ministry,  as  if  they  had  remained  at  the  plough,  or  in 
the  counting-house.  Though  there  has'been  a  fault  in  regard 
to  this  matter,  yet  the  blame  does  not  lie  at  the  door  of  the 
Board  of  Education,  but  with  the  too  partial  friends  of  the 
youth  who  recommended  him.  And,  perhaps,  there  has  been 
some  want  of  vigilance  and  care  in  the  Committees  of  Pres- 
byteries, who  have  had  committed  to  them  the  responsible 
duty  of  examining  and  recommending  beneficiaries  to  the 


THE    MINISTRY. 


Board.  For  some  years,  the  Board  have,  very  properly,  de- 
volved the  w^hole  responsibility  of  receiving  beneficiaries  on 
the  Presbyteries,  and  have  resolved  to  take  all  who  are  thus 
recommended,  and  they  will  receive  none  but  such  as  are 
under  the  care  of  some  Presbytery.  Here  it  may  be  remarked, 
that  when  a  youth  is  once  put  on  a  course  of  learning,  with  a 
view  to  the  ministry,  it  is  extremely  hard  to  drop  him,  unless 
he  should  be  found  guilty  of  immoral,  or  very  imprudent  con- 
duct. When  he  has  been  induced  to  relinquish  the  business 
for  which  he  was  preparing,  and  has  been  encouraged,  and 
perhaps,  persuaded,  to  turn  his  attention  to  the  ministry,  to 
drop  him  is  not  only  cruel,  but  a  severe  injury,  which 
none  are  willing  to  inflict  unless  the  unfitness  of  the  person 
is  most  manifest.  And,  indeed,  with  every  degree  of  caution, 
it  is  impossible  to  judge  certainly  of  the  capacity  of  candi- 
dates, in  the  commencement  of  their  course ;  for  while  some 
are  so  dull,  that  they  never  can  be  made  any  thing  of,  there 
are  others  whose  minds  are  developed  very  slowly,  and  who 
improve  under  culture,  to  a  degree  far  above  what  was  an- 
ticipated. The  fact  is,  that  in  all  cases,  the  education  of 
youth  is  an  experiment.  What  any  individual  will  be,  cannot 
commonly  be  known,  prior  to  the  trial.  In  all  institutions  of 
learning,  it  will  often  happen  that  many  who  enjoy  the  ad- 
vantages of  instruction  do  not  profit  much,  either  for  want 
of*  capacity,  or  habits  of  study.  We  must  educate  a  multi- 
tude in  our  schools  and  colleges,  in  order  to  bring  out  the 
talents  of  a  few. 

In  regard  to  moral  delinquency,  the  cases  have  been  so  few, 
that  it  is  a  matter  of  sincere  thankfulness,  that  out  of  the  hun- 
dreds of  youth  educated  for  the  holy  ministry,  so  few  have 
acted  in  such  a  manner  as  to  render  it  necessary  to  cast  them 
off.  In  general,  the  beneficiaries  of  the  Board  have  exhibited 
an  exemplary  behaviour  during  the  whole  course  of  their 
education. 

Some  time  ago  it  was  a  matter  of  serious  consideration, 
whether  young  men  educated  on  the  funds  of  the  church, 
should  not  be  brought  under  obligations  to  repay  all  that  they 
receive.  Our  Church  determined  that  this  was  not  expedient. 
To  send  out  our  young  ministers  under  a  heavy  load  of  debt, 
is  surely  to  place  them  in  a  very  undesirable  situation ;  and 
although  they  have  personally  received  a  rich  benefit  in  their 
education,  yet  it  should  be  remembered  that  they  were  aided 
in  acquiring  learning,  not  for  their  own  benefit,  but  for  the 
service  of  the  Church.  Every  man  of  right  moral  feelings, 
will  be  sensible,  however,  of  an  obligation,  which  he  will  be 


10  CANDIDATES    FOR 

disposed  to  discharge  in  some  way,  whenever  Providence 
shall  put  it  in  his  power ;  and  we  do  find,  that,  frequently, 
pecuniary  returns  are  made  by  some  who  have  been  the  be- 
neficiaries of  the  Board.  Most  of  our  young  ministers  re- 
ceive so  meagre  a  support  that  it  should  not  be  desired,  if 
they  were  willing,  that  they  should  tliink  of  repaying  what 
they  have  received.  And  there  are  some  who,  though  they 
have  not  repaid  the  Church  in  kind,  have  more  than  done  it 
by  services  rendered  to  this  cause,  and,  especially,  by  aiding 
other  young  men  in  obtaining  an  education. 

It  is  true,  however,  that  there  are  persons  in  affluent  cir- 
cumstances, who  were  aided  through  their  whole  course  by 
the  funds  of  the  Church,  who  have  never  made  any  return, 
or  even  acknowledgment,  of  their  obligations.  Concerning 
such,  we  would  only  say  that  their  moral  sensibilities  are 
not  as  strong  and  delicate  as  they  might  be.  But  what 
would  be  thought  of  the  man  who  after  having  been  essen- 
tially aided  by  the  Board  of  Education,  should  refuse  his  aid 
and  co-operation  in  its  benevolent  exertions  ? 

There  is  also  another  case,  in  v/hich  real  injustice  is  done 
to  this  Board.  It  is,  when  a  young  man,  after  receiving  aid 
from  its  funds,  through  his  whole  course,  as  soon  as  he  enters 
the  ministry,  leaves  our  connexion  and  joins  some  sister 
denomination.  Now  we  do  not  censure  the  young  minister 
for  entering  a  field  more  important  and  more  inviting  than 
he  can  find  in  our  Church ;  but  it  is  our  deliberate  and  we 
think  impartial  judgment,  that  in  such  a  case,  he  is  bound  in 
conscience  to  repay  all  that  he  has  received. 

In  conclusion,  we  would  address  ourselves  to  the  ministers 
and  members  of  the  Presbyterian  Church.  We  entreat  you, 
dear  brethren,  to  look  at  this  subject  seriously,  and  you  will 
find  that  there  is  no  institution  more  vital  and  more  neces- 
sary to  our  prosperity,  as  a  Church,  than  the  Education 
Board.  It  has  been  said,  that  compared  with  our  other 
Boards,  this  is  unpopular  with  many  of  our  churches  and 
with  many  individuals,  who  are  able  to  aid  it.  But  why  so  ? 
Whence  this  prejudice?  Do  you  wish  our  churches  to  be 
furnished  with  able,  well  educated  pastors,  and  how  are  they 
to  be  obtained?  Perhaps,  your  opposition  is  to  a  public  educa- 
tion in  theological  seminaries.  Well,  propose  some  better  plan, 
and  we  shall  rejoice  to  adopt  it ;  but  the  Church  has  been 
fully  persuaded  that  such  institutions  were  necessary  to  the 
best  preparation  of  the  greatest  number  of  candidates  for  the 
ministry.  But  there  is  no  compulsion  in  regard  to  this  matter. 
Any  who  choose  to  pursue  their  studies  in  private,  or  with 


THE    MINISTRY.  11 

private  pastors,  are  at  liberty  to  do  so :  only  we  ask  you  to 
give  your  aid  to  enable  poor  and  promising  youth  to  acquire 
the  requisite  training  to  become  useful  ministers  of  the  gos- 
pel. The  place  of  study  is  a  secondary  thing.  The  work 
of  missions,  foreign  and  domestic,  is  becoming  every  year, 
more  important,  and  pious,  faithful  men  are  demanded  for 
this  service ;  and  where  will  you  find  them,  unless  you  assist 
young  men  who  are  willing  to  devote  themselves  to  this  im- 
portant work  '?  Nearly  all  the  missionaries  in  the  foreign  and 
domestic  field,  have  come  out  of  your  theological  semina- 
ries ;  and  the  fact  is,  that  most  of  them  imbibed  the  mission- 
ary spirit  while  in  these  institutions,  and  a  large  proportion 
of  them  were  educated,  too,  on  the  funds  of  the  Church.  If 
this  department  is  neglected,  or  should  become  unpopular, 
one  of  two  things  will  be  the  consequence ;  either,  there  will 
be  a  deplorable  deficiency  of  labourers  in  the  vineyard  of  the 
Lord  ;  or,  the  Church  will  be  filled  with  imperfectly  educated 
men.  In  either  of  these  cases,  the  cause  of  our  Zion  must 
decline.  Other  denominations  will  reap  the  harvest ;  for  they 
are  becoming  more  and  more  attentive  to  the  education  of 
their  ministers.  Yea,  several  large  denominations,  which 
some  years  since  seemed  to  entertain  a  very  low  estimate  of 
the  necessity  of  learning  in  the  ministry,  are  now  straining 
every  nerve  to  promote  a  liberal  education  among  their  min- 
isters. If  we  do  not  come  forward  liberally,  and  vigorously, 
in  support  of  this  scheme  of  benevolence^  we  shall  undoubtedly 
fall  into  the  back-ground,  in  comparison  with  our  sister  denomi- 
nations. While  we  sincerely  rejoice  in  the  more  .correct 
views  which  some  of  them  entertain  on  the  subject  of  minis- 
terial qualifications,  we  do  not  wish  to  see  our  own  beloved 
Church  retrograding  in  this  matter.  If  the  Presbyterian 
Church  has  been  more  distinguished  for  any  one  thing  than 
another,  it  is  the  uniform  zeal  which  she  has  cherished  for  the 
education  of  her  ministers,  and  her  unceasing  exertions  to 
bring  promising  and  pious  men  into  the  ministry,  who  were 
destitute  of  the  means  of  obtaining  a  thorough  education. 

It  Vv^ill  not  be  a  matter  of  surprise,  that  if  our  Church  neglects 
her  duty  in  relation  to  this  matter,  God,  in  righteous  judgment, 
may  so  order  things  that  we  shall  have  few  pious  young  men 
to  educate.  Already,  the  number  of  candidates  is  said  to  be 
diminishing.  Let  us  beware  of  incurring  the  displeasure  of 
the  Lord  of  the  harvest. 

It  may  be  proper  to  say  a  word  respecting  the  way  in 
which  this  business  has  been  managed  by  the  Board  of  Edu- 
cation.    The  writer,  while  he  seldom   ever  meets  with  the 


12  CANDIDATES    FOR    THE    MINISTRY. 

Board,  has  been  in  a  situation   to  observe  its  proceedlno^s, 
and  he  is  free  to  declare,  that  in  his  opinion,  much  zeal,  wis- 
dom, and  diligence  have  uniformly  characterized  the  manao-e- 
ment  of  the  Board,  and  their  Executive  Committee.     And  our 
Secretaries    and   Agents,    have   been  indefatigable  in    their 
exertions.     The   Presbyterian  Church  is   under   unspeakable 
obligations  to  a  few  working-men,  in  Philadelphia,  who  have 
for  years  served  on   her  Boards  and  her  Committees.     The 
sacrifice  of  other  benefactors  of  the  Church  is  small  when 
compared  with  the  weekly  labours  of  some  of  these  devoted 
men.     I  know  that  some  jealousy  exists  in  other  parts  of  the 
Church  on  account  of  so  many  of  our  Boards  having  their 
seats  in  Philadelphia,  as  though  the  power  of  the  Church  was 
too  much  concentrated  in  a  few  persons.     And  if  it  were  not 
that  the  true  interests  of  the  Church  would  sufl?er  by  their  re- 
moval, it  would  be  desirable  to  have  them  distributed  among 
the  principal  cities,  included   in  our  bounds.     This  is  desirable 
not  for  the  reason  hinted  at,  but  because  a  disproportioned  re- 
quisition is  made  on  a  few  benevolent  men,  for  their  time  and 
labour.     These  men  can  have  no  other  than  benevolent  mo- 
tives for  their  long  continued,  and  faithful   services.     They 
attend  to   the   business   of  the  Church  weekly  without  any 
compensation,  except  the  satisfaction  of  doing  good.     And  as 
to  honour  or  applause,  they  neither  seek  it  nor  receive  it;  their 
names  are  scarcely  known  to  the  Church,  for  which  they  so 
assiduously  labour.     Though  equally  faithful  men  might  be 
found  in  other  cities,  yet  I  am  persuaded,  that  there  is  a  great 
advantage  in  having  the  business  of  the  Church,  concentrated 
in  the  place  where   the  General  Assembly  generally  meets. 
If  it  were  in  my  power  to  suggest  any  improvements  in  the 
system  pursued  by  the  Board  of  Education,  I  would  willingly 
do  it ;  but  on  an  impartial  survey  of  the  rules  of  the  Board,  I 
am  of  opinion,  that  they  approximate  as  near  perfection,  as 
can  be  expected  in  any  affairs  conducted  by  fallible  men.     If 
every  Church  in  our   connexion  would  do  its  duty  in  regard 
to   this  matter,  we  should  not  only  have  funds  enough,  but 
candidates  enough;  for  then  every  Church  would  feel  the  ob- 
ligation not  only  of  contributing  money  to   support  indigent 
students,  but  of  endeavouring   to  supply  the   Church  with  a 
succession  of  pious  youth,  to  be  educated  for  the  sacred  work 
of  the  gospel  ministry. 


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